Spring Plate installation 1971 911T

[sebastianroher]

Trying to find procedures for installing new elephantn racing spring plates. Specifically looking for measurements for centering the wheel in the wheel well. Right now I'm at 18" from the face of the torsion bar tube to the center or the wheel hub. Obviously I will take this for a professional alignment, but I would like to set it up as close as I can and I want to understand the process. Thanks for the help!

[Jeff Alton]

https://www.elephantracing.com/tech-topics/spring-plate-angle-calculator/?srsltid=AfmBOooDqT0zncoQibE6NnqaEmehQUcY9uFsJ8tDV fQC_TPFDgzhniB3

From the people that sold you the parts. Ensure your trailing arm is not bolted to spring plate when you set the angle...

Cheers

[PeteKz]

The toe-in adjustment will set the distance from the torsion bar to the end of the spring plate. Thus, there is no spec for that distance.

You can do a close enough job on the alignment yourself, and you should, so you know how it works. Start by assembling the bolts and adjustment eccentric bolts into the spring plate. Put the bolts in about the middle of their adjustment range. Tighten them enough that they won't slip, then put on the wheels and put the car on the ground. Roll it back and forth several times to allow the suspension to settle. Make sure the front wheels are pointed exactly straight ahead.

Find the measurement from the outside of the right front tire to the outside of the left front tire. do the same for the rear tires. Subtract the front from the rear. You will have a couple inches more at the rear than the front, judging from the picture of your wheels and fender flares.

Let's use an example: Say the width at your front tires is 2 inches less than your rear width, so you have 1" more on each side at the rear. Then sight down the edges of the rear tires to the front tires. That line of sight should fall 1" outside the front tires if the rear wheels are at zero degrees toe. The specs call for about zero toe. If the sightlines are off, raise the car back up, loosen the bolts enough to allow adjustment, and adjust the toe adjuster eccentric bolts the direction you need to go. Then tighten the bolts again, and put it back on the ground, etc. do this several times until you get to zero toe or slightly less. The spec is 10' toe in, +/- 10'.

Setting the rear camber is a similar trial and adjust process. Unfortunately, making a toe adjustment also affects the camber, and vice versa, so you have to make multiple adjustments until you get both the toe-in and camber correct. Once you get it set, tighten the bolts to the correct torque.

Other folks prefer to use the "string method" which you can read about in other threads. I think the sightline is just as accurate, and faster. Once you know what the measurements should be for your wheels and tires, it's very easy to get down on the ground and eyeball check the toe alignment.